Tayshaun Prince is a prime target for trades as the league deadline approaches. Center Greg Monroe, while not a classic defender down low, still has great size and enough mobility if he keeps steadily improving.

C

Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum still have the potential for big things, but sure are taking their time to tap it. Tracy McGrady has made a nice late-career recovery since swallowing pride and signing, with no promises, with the Pistons.

C-

Only three teams disrupt opposing shooters less (.480 defensive field-goal percentage) and, with 15, the Pistons have suffered more blowout losses (10+ points) than anyone except Cleveland (20) and New Jersey (16).

D-

Guess this is where we account for Rip Hamilton's unseemly twilight in Detroit. As he dangles in the interminable Carmelo Anthony trade talks, he's sitting out games in an awkward limbo.

C+

John Kuester has been a bit beleaguered, taking grief from Prince and clashing passive-aggressively with Hamilton. His job would be much easier if this were a traditional rebuild, without all the old furniture cluttering up the joint.

C-

D+

Summary

Halfway through the season, Kuester still is searching through the parts bin to find the right mix of players for his starting lineup and rotation. It would be one thing to faze out the holdovers from recent Pistons glory days -- Hamilton, Prince -- in a full-scale youth movement, but T-Mac has played a bigger role lately.

It is a statement on the East, rather than a credit to the Pistons, that they are within 2 1/2 games out of the eighth playoff spot. We'll assume that Kuester and the front office are sharp enough not to fall for that fool's gold. They need to force-feed the youngsters and stay focused on the future, which -- harsh as it might sound -- ought to include a bare minimum of the fellows currently employed.